Socio-cultural competence involves knowledge of culture, traditions and mentality of the studied language. The article presents the essence, structure and content of sociocultural competence in the process of teaching a foreign language.
Keywords: sociocultural competence, foreign language culture communicative competence, sociocultural component, intercultural communication
Социокультурнaя компетенция предполaгaет знaние культуры, трaдиции и ментaлитетa стрaны изучaемого языкa. В данной статье рассматриваются сущность, структура и содержание социокультурной компетенции. в процессе обучения иностранному языку.
Ключевые словa: социокультурнaя компетенция,: иноязычная культура, коммуникативная компетенция, социокультурный компонент, межкультурная коммуникация
Teaching a foreign language assumes formation of foreign-language communicative competence of students. The concept of communicative competence is defined as psychological, regional geographic, social factors of knowledge which determines use of the speech according to social norms of behavior. The content of education should ensure an adequate level of general and vocational world culture of the society, the formation of students present knowledge and adequate level of educational programs picture of the world, identity integration in national and world culture. The subject «foreign language» introduces not only the culture of the countries of the target language, but by comparison demonstrates the features of national culture, introduces the universal values. In other words, it helps students in the context of the «dialogue of cultures».
The term «culture of the target language» refers to the body of knowledge and experience that allows students to be appropriate members of the intercultural communication. Any foreign language should be taught as a phenomenon of social and cultural reality. Special attention should be given to the formation of learners’ communication skills, cultural competence and positive attitude towards another culture [8, 11]. The development of sociocultural competence in language teaching supposes a communication-oriented approach [12]. Sociocultural competence anticipates the knowledge of another culture, respect and tolerance towards others [7, 5].
According to the concept of V. V. Safonova, sociocultural competence in the structural plan includes cultural, cross-cultural, linguocultural, sociolinguistic and social competences of the student and is regarded as an integral part of communicative competence. Sociocultural competence provides a student the opportunity to orient in the sociocultural markers of authentic language environment and socio-cultural characteristics of the communication partner; to predict the socio-cultural interference in terms of cross-cultural communication and the ways of their elimination; to adapt in a foreign language environment. [1]
Engaging of material culture promotes the awakening of cognitive motivation, not only do students master the program material, but they also get acquainted with the unknown facts of culture, which is certainly causes their interest. Therefore, the learning, taking into account the interests of the students is particularly effective. The purpose of learning a foreign language and culture can be expressed as a preparation to real intercultural communication. A number of authors interpret the intercultural communication as an adequate understanding of communication participants belonging to different countries. This setting corresponds to the needs of education, foreign language requirements at the present stage of development of the society. At present, the question of the admission of the inhabitant of the twenty-first century to world culture, approaching his educational level to the European standard, mastery of at least two foreign languages. To do this, in turn, need to gradually introduce the target language through the history and contemporary life of the country whose language is studied, its traditions and culture.
The important factor of sociocultural competence formation is application of new technologies in training. The technology of critical thinking, design activity, training in cooperation and game technologies, practising training technology develop interest in foreign-language communication, expand its subject contents.
When forming sociocultural competence is very actual to apply contemporary approaches. The design technique is considered productive in this case as it creates opportunity for the personal growth of the student, focuses them on disclosure of creative potential and cognitive activity development. Work of work on projects technology, which is used in educational process: promotion of a hypothesis → creation of a problem situation → case study → specification and judgment → realization → presentation. The design technique is the personal focused kind of activity which provides conditions of self-knowledge and self-expression [2; p 49].
The method of projects allows efficiency of training and provides its practical orientation. The subject of project works has socio-cultural and cultural studies sounding in aspect of contrast and comparative character. In the course of implementation of project works students collect, systematize and generalize the original material. The technology of training in cooperation helps to create conditions for vigorous joint educational activity of students various educational situations. Interactive interaction of students in couples or groups provides practical use of language in the situations which imitates reality.
This technology develops the requirement constantly to improve the speech and creative abilities of students. For successful interaction in different situations of communication the method of role communication is used. The comparison method which allows to compare the fact of native culture and culture of the target language, and also to draw a parallel of comparison of traditions, customs, manners, holidays and achievements is considered to be productive. Comparison and estimation, as a rule, happens in situations of communication. That dialogue as a communication form, and dialogue as contact, contact of the different countries representatives or dialogue of cultures took place and became reality, students need to observe stacks all steps: to come into contact with the interlocutor, to request and give information on the conversation course for the solution of the set of communicative task; to begin, support and finish conversation; to express the relation to the discussed question; to find out opinion and the relation of the interlocutor; it is good to be guided in the facts of culture and to be able to give an assessment of the description of the facts, realities and events.
The mastery of a foreign language and its use requires knowledge of socio-cultural features of the native speakers, a wide range of verbal and non-verbal communication. It is commonly known that the lack of direct contact with native –speaking in terms of target language country enhances the educational importance of the foreign language, hence, more consistent in the socio-cultural component of teaching foreign languages. For the development and formation of a sociocultural orientation by lessons imitating any occupations or types of works can be the most effective: excursion, travel, protection of tourist projects, lesson — competition, lesson — quiz and others. Using internet-resources can also help the teacher in planning lessons aimed at the formation of social competence.
Sociocultural competence includes a deep-rooted knowledge of everyday-life situations, values and beliefs. The best way to develop sociocultural competence is to immerse in the natural language environment and communicate with native speakers. As a rule of thumb, the absence of language environment can be compensated with authentic materials (real-life materials that weren’t created for educational purposes).
Thus, to feel at home in a global world, a graduating student has to possess a number of competences from professional competences in science and technology to foreign language competences. Foreign language knowledge helps understand your own language and culture, promotes intercultural communication, provides access to foreign scientific literature, opens doors to international education and understanding of other people.
References:
- Сафонова В. В. Изучение языков международного общения в контексте диалога культур и цивилизаций. — Воронеж: Истоки, 1996. — 237 с.
- Писаренко Т. Н. Использование квизи при работе с текстами страно-ведческого характера // ИЯШ. — 2001. — № 4. — С. 48–50.
- Бочарова А. С. Важность развития социокультурной компетенции студентов неязыковых вузов // Интерэкспо Гео-Сибирь. 2014. Т. 6. № 2. С. 45–48.
- Волкова Е. В. Актуализация феномена социокультурной компетенции в условиях глобализации // Теория и практика общественного развития. 2014. № 19. С. 230–232.
- Глущенко О. А. К вопросу о концепции социокультурного обучения // Вестник Псковского государственного университета. Серия: Социально-гуманитарные и психолого-педагогические науки. 2012. № 1. С. 112–117.
- Куимова М. В. Формирование социокультурной компетенции на занятиях иностранного языка (на пример сказок) // В мире научных открытий. 2014. № 1.1 (49). С. 625–632.
- Шабалина О. Л., Новосёлова А. А. Формирование социокультурной компетенции студентов университета средствами иностранного языка // Вестник Российского университета дружбы народов. Серия: Психология и педагогика. 2012. № 3. С. 136–140.
- Шишканова В. В. Социокультурная компетенция как компонент иноязычной подготовки студентов неязыкового вуза в аспекте поликультурного образования // Вестник Московского государственного лингвистического университета. 2013. № 3 (663). С. 41–52.
- Al Azri R. H., Al-Rashdi M. H. The effect of using authentic materials in teaching // International journal of scientific & technology research. 2014. Vol. 3, Issue 10. P. 249–254.
- Fahrutdinova R. A., Yarmakeev I. E., Fakhrutdinov R R. The formation of students’ foreign language communicative competence during the learning process of the English language through interactive learning technologies (the study on the basis of Kazan Federal University) // English Language Teaching; Vol. 7, No. 12; 2014. P. 36–46.
- Kilickaya F. Authentic materials and cultural content in EFL classrooms. http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Kilickaya-AutenticMaterial.html. (accessed February 27, 2015).
- Kudashina V. L.Sociocultural competence in language proficiency // Сборники конференций НИЦ Социосфера. 2014. № 49. С. 74–76. 15. Zarate G., Neuner G. Sociocultural Competence in language learning and teaching: studies towards a common European framework of reference for language learning and teaching. 1997. Council of Europe. 122 p.
